‘Nick.’
‘Toast with butter or jam?’
‘Butter.’
‘Cinema or DVD?’
‘Cinema.’
‘Why’s Nick stopping you?’
‘I love him.’ I opened my eyes and sat up. ‘Oh my God!’
Elise smiled knowingly at me. ‘Finally!’
I frowned at her. ‘You don’t look surprised.’
‘I’m not. When you told me about Nick, your face lit up and your eyes sparkled. When you told me about Andy, you had a wistful look on your face, as though it was all about the memories.’
‘Why didn’t you say that?’
‘You needed to realise it for yourself.’
I shook my head, my stomach churning. ‘That’s it, isn’t it? I lovemy past with Andy and he’ll always be special to me because he was my first love, but I want my future to be with Nick.’
‘What about Steven?’
‘Obviously not as important as being with Nick,’ I said. ‘It mustn’t be. Let’s face it, the ex who I always thought was The One has walked back into my life, told me he loves me and he happens to be called Steven. He takes me on the date of my dreams and it’s all lovely and romantic, yet I’d still rather be with Nick.’
‘Then you need to tell him,’ Elise said. ‘When?’
‘Now.’ I stood up. ‘Right now.’
‘Nick, I’m so sorry for what happened last weekend with Andy. I’m so grateful to you for being such an amazing person in putting your own feelings aside to give me the time to work mine out. As you rightly said, I’d always have wondered “what if?” if I hadn’t spent time with Andy but I know now that he isn’t right for me. I now know why things ended so I’ve finally got closure. I had to give Andy a chance but I realised that, every minute I spent with him, I’d have rather spent with you. I know I’ve hurt you and I don’t deserve you back but you said you’d be waiting for me, however long it took. I’m hoping you meant that. Is there any chance you could forgive me and we could try again?’ I looked at Elise. ‘It’s naff isn’t it?’
‘No. It’s heartfelt,’ she said. ‘Did you say he lives on Fountain Street?’
‘Yes.’
Elise turned the car right to head across town.
‘What if I’m too late and he’s met someone else?’
‘I very much doubt that. Not if he loves you as much as he said.’
Nick, I’m so sorry for what happened last weekend…I rehearsed the words over and over again in my head. They really did sound naff.Oh God! We’re nearly there. Too late to change it.
‘What number?’
‘Sixty-two.’ I wound down the window for a better look. ‘Apparently it’s a few doors up from a newsagent’s.’
Elise cruised slowly up the street of three-storey terrace houses,all with Christmas tree lights twinkling in bay windows. Shortly after the shop, she did an impressive reverse parking manoeuvre into a space on the opposite side of the road, turned off the lights and switched off the ignition.
I counted up from the newsagent’s. ‘It must be the one with the light outside.’
‘Ready?’ Elise asked.
‘No, but I have to do this. Will you wait for me in case he’s not in? Or in case he doesn’t want to speak to me?’
